Szayel noted Nnoitra's taciturn response. He'd been taciturn since his outburst explaining to the other two who Hojo was, and Szayel doubted that was out of deference to the possibility that Aizen didn't want them handing information to Hojo.

He'd have to needle him about his mother later. Nnoitra had a surprising scientific pedigree.

"We're not your specimens to study," he said, directing this at Hojo, almost cheerfully. They were, of course, fascinating, but the Arrancar were, to Szayel's mind, as much his as Kurotsuchi's, and he wasn't about to have his territory in that area invaded. Not even by Hojo.